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Legacy

Legacy

The Rides of Valvoline

Dec 19, 2016

We don't just make the products - we live the lifestyle

William D. Turkington

Title: Manager, Retail Store Growth

1989 BMW 325i Convertible

“In 2009, my 13-year-old son Issac found the car locally on Craigslist. It had 128,000 miles on it, so we immediately started using Valvoline MaxLife 10W-40. The previous owner had not kept it up, so for the first couple of years Issac and I worked on it almost every week just to keep it running. We would search the symptoms online and work through the possible solutions until we found one.

We also replaced all the fluids with Valvoline products. After we rebuilt the front suspension, we spent the next two years to make it look good. We replaced the top and recovered the leather seats, with the most challenging part being the paint job. Issac and I set up a paint booth in our garage and educated ourselves on the process. By the time we got to the clear coat it looked good but not great. Thanks to advice from automotive finish expert Jason Abney I was able to sand and polish the clear coat.

It’s my daily driver and I’m always amazed at the smooth acceleration and good handling. Issac still really loves the car. Working on it gave him a great hands-on experience as well as a real appreciation for well-designed and quality vehicles.”

Patrick Daugherty

Title: Territory Business Manager

2005 Honda S2000

“The S2000 is a very special little car. It’s making 240hp from a 2.2L 4-cylinder that revs to 8000 RPM. They’re notoriously known for their twitchy nature at the limit, and you’ve got to keep the revs up over six to get the most out of it, which makes the car super fun. Right now mine has Ohlin Coilovers, 17x9 wheels, a test pipe and a Recaro seat. Pretty basic stuff, but they’re a solid track car out of the box. I plan to add aero and/or sway-bars down the road.

I race on the weekends, and before each track day event I change the oil, bleed the brakes and inspect the car. Every three events or so I’ll change the transmission and differential fluid. Some buddies of mine have a shop here in Charlotte called ‘After Hours Racing.’ I wrench on cars with them after work and on the weekends.

Over the summer my dad and I competed in an event with the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) called Targa Southland. The event showcased SCCA lifestyle across multiple activities, including Time Trial, Track-X, Autocross, Road Rally and Track Night. It was a three-day event on three different tracks — Charlotte Motor Speedway, Atlanta Motorsports Park, and NCM Motorsports Park in Bowling Green, KY.

Out of all the events I’ve participated in over the years, this was by far the most fun. There were around 40 teams with a variety of cars including the 2017 Acura NSX and an Exocet driven by race car driver Randy Pobst. My dad and I had an absolute blast and made some great friends along the way. For me the highlight was Charlotte Motor Speedway at night under the lights. We ran the full course including the infield. It’s a weekend I’ll never forget; best of all I got to share the experience with my dad.”

Jamie Hinely

Title: Director of Learning Solutions

1965 Ford F-100

“I bought the truck because it’s the same make and model of the truck I played in growing up, and later drove as my first vehicle. I remember learning to drive on country roads in an old F-100 and I wanted to have the feeling again. I’m not a very good mechanic yet. I’m learning as I go and asking for help when I can’t figure things out.

My favorite memory of it so far was driving it home when I bought it just a few months ago. I was so excited to have it, then suddenly realized that a 250-mile trip in a 51-year old vehicle I knew nothing about was a huge risk. But the truck had no problems and it got positive comments at every stop along the way.”

Jimmy Woods

Title: Cost Accountant

2009 BMW 135i

“The 135i is a rear-wheel drive enthusiast car that is quick, sporty, and a blast to drive. Its smaller size and design lead many to compare it to the classic E30 BMWs of years past. The N54 engine responds very well to power modifications which make it that much more fun.

I work on my vehicle several times a year, usually performing basic oil changes, changing filters, and installing upgrades. The smaller jobs I do myself but I’ll work on it with friends and family when doing the more involving tasks such as upgrading the exhaust or intercooler.

I have lots of good memories, but the best is probably seeing it for the first time after it was unloaded off the shipping truck. I took a risk and bought it sight-unseen so it was nerve-wracking and exciting at the same time.”

Judd Campbell

Title: Manager of Acquisitions

Porsche 911 Turbo 2002

“I bought my Turbo AFTER my son was born. I am a huge Porsche enthusiast and I was daily driving a Boxster S when our son was born. I knew my sports car was on borrowed time as it only had two seats. I made the case to my wife that we really need a four-seater instead of a normal 911, and that if we get a 911 turbo it will hold its value better. I ended up getting a modified 911 Turbo with ~550 HP and use it as my daily driver.

I love working on cars. My father bought my first car, a Porsche 944 for $4k. That got me hooked. It needed lots of work and I spent many late nights under four jack-stands. I actually have an oil change pit in my current house and until recently, most Saturdays were spent washing cars, driving cars, or working on cars. As an active member of the Porsche club, I enjoy going to cars & coffee and wrenching on other club members' cars when time allows. Now with two kids my weekend activities have slowed considerably.

I love doing road course and autoX events. There is nothing like putting a helmet on and running the car as fast as I am comfortable while surrounded by automotive enthusiasts.

I am currently between Porsche cars but I am sure there will be another soon.”

John Middleton

Title: VIOC Core Services Manager

Vehicle: 2000 BMW 540i M-Sport Package

“This car is special to me because it was something that I had wanted for years. I saved up for a long time in preparation to buy one. My good friend worked at BMW and called me to tell me that my car had just arrived! He told me there was a black with black leather 540i with 6-speed manual that was just traded in. The car was in excellent condition with only one previous owner. I bought it that afternoon.

I’ve made a lot of aftermarket modifications to it, including magna flow high flow catalytic converters, a Borla exhaust, Fibach sport performance lowering springs, Bilstein struts and Staff shocks. I detail it about once a week at a minimum. I hand wash it, use a black car spray wax, and then clean and vacuum the inside. My four-year-old daughter Audrey is more than happy to help wash the car. She does a great job of rinsing the car off and spraying daddy with the hose! A typical wash and detail takes about two hours for a quick run through, and about three to four for a thorough deep clean.”

Eugen Oana

Title: VIOC EHS Manager

Vehicle: 2006 Volvo S60R

"It’s only appropriate for a Safety professional to drive the safest vehicle in the world, right? Besides, I have kids and need to be sensible in my vehicle selection. With that said, I’m still a petrol head at heart and making fast cars go faster is my hobby. Although my daily driver is a seemingly run-of-the-mill Volvo, this one packs a little punch: an over 350bhp, turbocharged five-cylinder, AWD, six-speed manual, kick-to-the-back-of-the-head kind of punch. We’ve done a few modifications to improve efficiency and extract more power. All this, without drawing too much attention; that’s the point.

Typically, after the kids go to sleep, my wife and I retreat to the garage and talk about our day while working on the cars. On the weekends, we enjoy a drive through the Kentucky countryside and if the weather cooperates, the kids help us wash and clean out the cars.

The best car memory is not with this particular vehicle, but with my family’s Volvo growing up. It was a wagon … enough said. But the long road trips we would take on vacations, memories made in that car, and the fact that it never once broke down on us, makes it a really memorable part of my childhood. As with that car, this S60R is all about 'smiles per gallon.'"

Dave Weakly

“The Super Ten is a fully built truck with custom paint, interior, wheels and a full frame dragging air ride suspension. I purchased this truck new in the spring of 1998 and have spent countless hours working on it over the years. It is a constant work in progress and I can honestly say it will never be ‘finished,’ as I continuously look for new ways to keep the truck looking fresh and in style with the Minitruck community I am heavily involved in.

One of my fond memories with this vehicle has to be when myself along with one of my closest friends became members of Negative Camber, one of the largest truck clubs in the country. We were at a large show in Morristown, TN, and several friends were pushing us to get up and walk around the show grounds. Little did we know that when we returned, both of our trucks had been stickered with the club logo and T-shirts were placed on our drivers seats.

The Crew Cab is a four-door Biscayne that my father restored nearly 25 years ago. It is seafoam green in color and I have recently installed air ride suspension and smoothie wheels painted to match the body. As it has aged over the years, the interior has become a little faded and worn. I plan to work towards restoring the interior and enjoying this car as much as possible. My fondest memory with the car was on October 4, 2003, when my father drove my wife and me from our wedding to the reception and then to our new home. My father sold the car in 2006. Two years ago my father passed away from kidney cancer and I tried to purchase the car at that time. I was recently given the opportunity to buy the car back and I took it. It, along with the Super Ten, are two vehicles I don't foresee myself parting with.”

Matthew Furcolow

"Growing up, my dad owned a Chevy Blazer (same body style) which we would take on our family vacations. He also taught me to drive in the snow one evening during the blizzard of 1993 in Northeast Ohio. Although the state had requested that everyone stay home and off the roads, I recall my dad looking at me and saying, 'Let’s go gas up the Blazer.'

My dad served as a Command Sergeant Major in the Army Reserves for 35 years. While on military bases he would drive the military version of the Chevy Blazer (CUCV M1009). I decided that I wanted to honor my dad by restoring a vehicle that we had so many memories in as a family. Additionally, I have a tremendous amount of respect, admiration and appreciation for those who have served in all branches of military. We have the freedom we enjoy today because they chose to give up theirs.

I am thrilled to have a vehicle that brings back so many memories and fortunate to have a wife who supports me when I decide to chase a memory or two."

And, last but not least:

The 2016 Baja Truck Build

To celebrate Valvoline's 150th year, employees from across the company came together to create two custom-built trucks for this year's Baja 1000. The '89 Dodge short bed regular cab trucks are equipped with custom-built 5.9L common-rail remanufactured Cummins engines, similar to the 2003 vintage offered as an option in the Ram pickup truck. Nicknamed "El Tropico" and "El Artico," the trucks represented a collaborative effort that involved multiple areas of Valvoline including creative services, marketing, technical logistics and more, as well as partners like Cummins.

The result: Valvoline had a truck driven in the legendary 853-mile endurance race by Formula Drift stars Chris Forsberg and Ryan Tuerck. You can watch the entire process from the beginning to the finish in a five webisode series here.

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